Therapeutic lamp unit



' \lg 4, 193`1- F. A. ANDERSON 1,817,027

THERAPEUTIC LAMP UNIT Filed Oct. 1l, 1926 Patented Aug. 4, 1,931

UNITED STATES FRITZ A. ANDERSON, OF MILTON, WISCONSIN, kASSIGNOR TO THEBURDICK CORPORA- TION, OF MILTON, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION F DELAWARETHERAPEUTIC LAMP UNIT Application led October'll, 1926. Serial No.140,840.

My invention rela-tes to therapeutic lamps. It relates more particularlyr4to an improved light and heat generating unitA for use in therapeuticlamps wherein the production of red and infra-red rays are of primaryvconcern `although, of course, it may be app ied to ot er lamps. y

An object of my invention is to 'provide an improved radiant energygenerating unit il for use in therapeutic lamps.

n Another object is to provide a more eiiicient ray-generating unit. n

Another object is to provide a unit wherel in the heat generated by thepassage of eleclb, tric current therethrough is applied to thel outer oreffective ray-generating portion thereof while the inner support iseffectively heat-insulated.

Another' object is to provide akunit whereo in the ray-generating andradiating element may be readily replaced if it becomes worn out ordamaged. n

Another object is to provide an improved r method of making such units.o Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a lampembodying my invention, the generating unit 3") being shown inelevation;

:5 t@ Mating unit ha a source ai? simetra Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevation 0f the radiant energy generating unit at onestage of itsproduction;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the combustible form used in making myimproved generating unit; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the completed generatingunit.

ceptacle housing 7, an electric screw plug receptacle 8 mounted inhousing 7 a handle 9 attached to the housing, and a radiant enf ergygenerating unit l0 carried by the screw .plug receptacle. The handle,housing', screw plug receptacle and reiiector may be of any suitableconstruction which will conveniently serva the purl-pose nl conne' theen current The therapeutic lamp comprises generally a parabolicreflector 6 carried on aV plug rei' 'egcfed A ses pastries, essaier-,leaamseafgy seeming and will effectively reflect the rays emittedthereby.

My new and improved generating unit is made in a novel manner.

spirally grooved or luted form 11, of paper or other combustiblematerial, is placed "on, a hollow core 1.2,.of lava or other suitableinsulating material, and an electrical resistance element 13, preferablyin the form of a wire, is wound in the spiral groove of the form. Thisuse of the fluted form 11 to support the wire, eliminates the necessityof providing a fluted core for this purpose and permits the use of acore having a smoothv outer surface. The hollow core with itssuperimposed form and resistance element is then mounted on an insulatedplug 14 and secured-thereto by fastening means 15. A

vend of the resistance element is secured to theupper end of metal post16, .A and the lower end of the resistance element is secured by meansof screw l18 to a threaded metal ferrule 19, which forms the outerelectrical contact of the generating unit. The

resistance element is then covered with a layer of silicon carbide orsimilar refractory material. This refractory material is in a finelydivided state and is mixed with a suitable binder and moistenedsufficiently to form a plastic. mass which may be readily applied as acovering for the resistance element.

After the electrical resistance has been provided withI the covering 20of silicon car bide or other energy radiating material, a metallic cap21 isslipped over the upper end o f postk 16 and'secured inplace, in anyappropriatel manner, such as a nutorfby 'swaging the upper end of thepost over the cap. At this stage the assembled unit i's'fsubafengperamrev qfi betweenI 150g to eihcit and the silicon Eflndecon- (ifimaterial, is thoroughly dried. The element is then subjected to a curingtemperature between 1000O and 2000O Fahrenheit which burns away thecombustible form and thoroughly cures and hardens the covering for theresistance element. The completed unit thus formed is shown in sectionin Fig. et.

Instead of assembling and curing the rayemitting element while itssupporting form is mounted on the permanent core, such rayemittingelement may be separately assembled and cured and later slipped over thepermanent core and secured thereon.

Itis to be noted that my improved process produces a generating unitwherein the resistance` element is almost entirely embedded in theenergy radiating material, the uncovered part of the resistance elementbeing separated from the core by a heat-insulating air space, whichresults from the destruction of the paper form. This feature results inthe maximum amount of the heat generated by the resistance elementbeingutilized in the production of radiant energy and a minimum loss of heatthrough the core. This feature also aids in eliminating unnecessary andundesirable heating of the plum It is to be further noted that therayemitting element is a separate and distinct part of my generatingunit and may be readily removed and replaced should it become worn outor otherwise useless.

Having thus illustrated and described an embodiment of my invention,what I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is asfollows:

l. That method of producing a radiant energy generating unit fortherapeutic lamps which comprises providing a perishable form, winding aresistance element thereon, embedding said resistance element innon-conducting material, and then destroying said form.

2. That method of forming a radiant energy generating unit fortherapeutic lamps which includes winding a resistance `element on aperishable form, covering said resistance element with insulatingmaterial in a plastic condition, and simultaneously curing said materialand destroying said form, said cured material forming a support for saidresistance element.

3. The method of making radiant energy generating units which includesmounting a combustible form on a heat resistant core, winding anelectrical resistance element on said form, covering said resistanceelement with a lastic non-conducting material, drying said plasticmaterial, and thereafter destroying said form.

4. A radiant energy generating unit comprising a heat resisting core, aresistance element surrounding the core and spaced therefrom, a.covering of insulating material embedding the resistance element, and anair space between the resistance element and the core.

5. A radiant energy generating unit for therapeutic lamps comprising ahollow conical heat resisting core, a helical resistance elementsurrounding said core, a silicon carbide covering for said resistanceelement, said covering supporting said element and an air spaceseparating said covering and said resistance element from said core.

6.. A radiant energy generating unit comprising a base, a core thereon,a hollow radiating member over the core and spaced therefrom and anelectrical heating coil embedded in the inner walls of said hollowradiating member.

7. In a radiant energy generating unit, a base, a core supportedthereon, a hollow radiating member over and supported on the core at oneend and spaced therefrom and an electrical heating coil embedded in theinner wall of said member in spaced relation to the core.

8. A radiant energy generating unit comprising a plug, an inert heatresisting core and a ray emitting member surrounding the core and spacedtherefrom, the ray emitting member including a covering of insulatingmaterial and a resistance element embedded therein, and being readilyreplaceable independently of the core.

In witness whereof I `hereunto subscribe my name this 16 day ofSeptember, 1926.

FRITZ A. ANDERSON.

